Joseph edward francis



Pafmltew Sept. 16,` 1890.

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J- E. FRANCIS. GAR GOUPLING,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

JOSEPH EDWARD FRANCIS, OF THORNHILL, CANADA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,346, dated September' 16, 1890.

Application iiled June 5, 1890. Serial No. 354,358. (No model.)

To all when?, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH EDWARD FRAN- CIS, gentleman, of the village of Thornhill, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CarCouplers; of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to design an automatic car-coupler which is adapted to connect cars of both the same and different heights, and which is so formed that when the couplers are connected together they will not be liable to become separated.

Figure l is a perspective view of the ends of two cars, which are partially broken away to exhibit my coupler. Fig. 2 is a sectional" elevation.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Ais the outer part or shank, and B is the inner portion of the draw-head. The inner end of the shank A is pivoted at b to the end of the inner portion B, which butts against a suitable butter-spring C, While the outer end is in elevation shaped like an arrow-head, in which the top and bottom ot the head from the point to the barbs are `iiat surfaces c and d, the top edge of the surface c at the barb end being concaved to receive the convexed bottom edge of the barb end of the surface d when the cars are coupled together.

D is a spring designed to support the shank A in position against the stop a, and E is a guiding-bracket for the shank A.

F is a rod extending across the bottom of the car and supported in suitable bearings f. The rod F has formed or secured on it at its center an extension-piece G,Which is depressed or raised by operating the handles I-I on the outer ends of the rod F on the outside of the car.

I are guard-rods extending from the bottom of the car-one on each side of the arrow-headshaped end A of the shank A-and .I is a plate secured on the bumper above the arrowheadshaped end A of the shank A.

lVhen it is desired to couple two cars, it is merely necessary to bring them together, when the points of the arrow-headshaped ends of the shanks slide past each other, either shank of which may happen to come on top, according to Whether one car is higher than the other or the way in which they strike each other. Whichever arrow-head does come on top forces the other down, while the plate on 4the bumper also partially receives the shock until the bottom convex-shaped barb edge of the arroW-head-shaped end of the top shank passes the top concave-shaped barb edge of the arrowhead-shaped end of the bottom shank, when they drop down into position and interlock. 4

Both of the shanks A are held up during the period of coupling by the springs D, Which give sufficiently to allow of the depression of either shank A. The said springs D pass through the guiding-brackets.

Then it is desired to uncouple the cars, it is merely necessary for the brakeman to tilt the handle H, so as to force the extensionpiece G down against the shank A till the points of the barbs of the arrowhead-shaped ends are free, when the cars may be drawn apart. The handle Il being now released, the spring' D forces the shank A up again into its initial position.

In order to provide a means of coupling cars provided with my coupler to those couplersnow in use, commonly I make a slot K through the arrowhead-shaped end A of the shankA and secure a link L in the slot K by the pin lc. The link L may be drawn out till its ends strike the pink when it. is found necessary to use it for coupling.

From this description it Will be seen that from the peculiar' construction of the arrowhead-shaped ends A and the proximity of the guard-rods I on each side of them there will be no danger of the. cars getting uncoupled while passing around a curve or in any other Way, except upon the derailment of the preceding car, when it would be a benet rather than a disadvantage by having a tendency to leave the cars following on the track.

Although I show the spring D at the bottom of the shank A and a handle H for turning the rod F, it will be understood, of course,

that other equivalent means might be substituted for these Without altering the principle of my invention.

As my coupler is disconnected from the outside of the car, there Will be no danger of IDO Iov

loss of life, and, being comparatively inexpensive to get up, it' may be adapted with equal facility to both freight and passenger cars.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The shank A, pivoted at b on lche end of the inner part B and having an arrow headshaped end A', formed as described, in combination with the spring D and stop a, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The shank A, pivoted at Z2 on the cndof the inner part B, and an arrowhead-shaped end A', formed as described, in combination with the spring D,stop a, and extension-piece G on rod F, operated by the handle H, sub-4 stantially as and for Jche purpose specified.

3'. The shank A, pivoed at b on the endof the inner part B and having an arrow-headshaped end A', formed as described, in combination with the spring D, stop a, extensionpiece G on rod F, and plate J, secured on the bumper, substantially as and for t-he purpose Specified.

4C. The shank A, pivoted at b on the end of the inner part B and having an arrow-headshaped end A', formed as described, in combinaion With the guard-rods I, spring D, eX- tension-piece G on rod F, and plate J, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The shank A, pivoted at b on the end of the inner part B and having an arrow-headshaped end A', formed as described, in combination with the link L, secured in the slot K, formed in the arroW-head-shapedend A', by the pin lo, substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

JOSEPH EDWARD FRANCIS.

Witnesses:

E. J. B. DUNCAN, FRED B. FETHERSTONHAUGH. 

